CLARENCE sealed the York C&IU Evening Bowl League title with two matches to go following their maximum points victory over South Bank.

South Bank were two players short due to injury and holidays.

Railway Institute had a bye but stayed second place while last year's champions, Holgate, conceded their game to bottom club Burton Lane.

St Clements continued their unbeaten run in the Afternoon League to go six points clear at the top of the table thanks to a 2-0 win at Holgate 'A', while nearest rivals Railway Institute lost 2-0 at home to third-placed Acomb 'B'.

Railway Insistute 'A' will meet Poppleton Road 'C' in the final of the Heineken UK Ltd-sponsored John Smith's Triples after semi-final victories over Acomb 'A' and Poppleton Road 'B' respectively.

In the Plate semis, Holgate 'D' beat South Bank 'A' and Poppleton Road 'A' pipped Burton Lane.

The finals will be played at the Railway Institute green on Tuesday, starting at 7pm.

Meanwhile, the York Amateur Bowls Association resumed competition after a mini-break with the quarter-finals and semi-finals of both cup competitions.

In the Williamson Cup, a number of division two sides had fought through to the last eight where they took on top-tier opposition.

Osbaldwick overcame Poppleton Road WMC 71-61 to set up a semi-final with Holgate WMC, who beat division two Shipton 98-33.

Division two side West Park put up a spirited effort at home to RI Amateurs but the division one outfit came through 92-74 and went on to meet Selby, who won 85-74 at RI Corinthians.

In the semi-finals, Holgate WMC narrowly beat Osbaldwick and Selby overcame RI Amateurs by four shots.

In the Freedom & Fellowship Cup quarter-finals, Stamford Bridge overcame Retreat 69.75-51, Copmanthorpe won 63.75-62 at Minster after a hard-fought battle, and Dunnington beat Haxby Road 72-66, while Hull Road Park had to concede to Clifton.

In the semi-finals, Dunnington beat division two side Copmanthorpe and Clifton prevailed against Stamford Bridge.

In the latest league fixtures, reigning champions Holgate WMC pipped RI Amateurs in their top-of-the-table division one clash at Ashton Lane.

RI Amateurs had the better of the aggregate for most of the game but the Holgate side pulled through to prevail 77-74 for a 6-2 victory, each side winning two rinks.

Selby saw off Osbaldwick 7-1, and Dringhouses consolidated their position with a 5-3 win over RI Corinthians at the racecourse ground.

Clifton strengthened their position at the top of division two with a 7-1 victory over Poppleton Road WMC.

Poppleton held on to second place after a 5-3 win over West Park, Retreat beat Minster 6-2, and Stamford Bridge won by the same margin at Scarcroft.